Simple Solutions for Earth Day

April 22, 2020 marks the 50th
anniversary of Earth Day. You might be asking yourself, “Only 50? I thought the
earth was 4.5 billion years old.” You’re correct in thinking this but Earth Day
isn’t about celebrating the age of our planet. Instead, it’s described as observing “the
anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970” (Earth
Day Network, n.d.) which laid the foundation of the Environmental Protection
Agency and the Clean Air Act.

Due to the global pandemic with COVID-19, we may
be finding ourselves more conscious of who we interact with, adapting to new
ways of living, and being more reflective about how this pandemic will impact
our future. In past years you may have gathered with others for Earth Day
celebrations – planting trees in parks, participating in community cleanups, or
visiting your favorite museum.

Thinkery’s Earth, Wind, Inspire exhibition features more than a dozen interactive exhibits that offer guests of all ages a chance to explore the dynamic processes that shape our planet.

This year we will need to continue to exercise
social distancing to flatten the curve and preserve human health. But we can
continue to act in supporting environmental health – from our homes! Whether
it’s a yard clean up, starting a home garden, or doing some citizen
science the goal is to think globally and act
locally! Individual contributions create global change over time and it’s never
too late to start.

In this Thinkery
At Home activity, we invite you to use simple
ingredients to make an eco-friendly cleaning solution that you and your family can
use as an all-purpose cleaner – something we all are using more of as we take
additional steps in cleaning and disinfecting. Doing this activity as a family
not only provides an opportunity to have a fun germ-busting experience together
but also offers an opportunity to have conversations around the current disease
and its impact on your family. Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking
with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their
risk of infection can help reduce anxiety. (NASP 2020)